Rock royalty is going to grace The Isle of Wight Festival 2016, with Queen having been announced as the first headliner with Adam Lambert filling the role as their current frontman. The band will be closing the festival, playing on Sunday 12th June. Coincidentally this date falls on the actual Queen’s 90th birthday.

It will be Queen’s first UK festival show with Adam Lambert as lead singer. It will also be Queen’s only UK gig next year. Along with the fact that it is the 15th anniversary of the rebooted Isle of Wight Festival the show look set to be a monumental one.

Queen’s guitarist Brian May said of taking on the headline slot: “I think Queen at The Isle of Wight Festival is a date that was long overdue. How incredible to take on this challenge at this point in our lives. With an injection of new blood in the shape of the incredible Adam Lambert, Queen will be ready to tear it up on this legendary stage in 2016. Freddie would have loved it. Can’t wait.”

Isle of Wight Festival Boss John Giddings was equally excited at the prospect of Queen at his festival, saying: “It’s an honour for us to have Queen & Adam Lambert at our festival. It’s the perfect way for us to celebrate our 15th anniversary. Queen’s music appeals to people of all generations and it’s hard to think of another band with such a famous collection of songs. It’s going to be an incredible moment for The Isle of Wight Festival when they share these songs with us.”

Next year may be the milestone of many things queen related, but this year is also a special one for the regents of rock, as the band is currently celebrating the 40th anniversary of everyone’s favourite karaoke track ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.

Speaking to the BBC May claimed “I’m not sick of it. You can’t complain that people want to talk about it all these years later.

“I still enjoy hearing it. If it comes on the radio, I’ll turn it up and listen. But no air guitar. I’m too old for air guitar now.”